Our son Jordan is now winding up his trip to Corsica. He's come down off the mountain range where he spent several days sleeping over in one of the mountain huts -- one of the smallest, he told us, with only thirty bunks, half of which were filled while he was there. He used it  as his base camp and did day trips from one summit to another.  Most people he came across were not doing brief trips up the mountains moving through the colls connecting summit to summit, but were busy doing the entire circuit, a 12-week commitment at the very least. He described himself as the most relaxed person there.

 

 

His mission was to look around, enjoy himself, take in the spectacular views that he compared to an earlier trip, unlike those he met who were gripped with the time element, concerned that they work their ascents along the mountain pilgrimage to match their timelines. Which is strange in a way, since if the focus is on timing rather than the natural environment exposure to nature's grandeur, as the point of interest where's the joy, where's the wonder, where's the appreciation of what is being surveyed?

 

 

It's the kind of attitude I can sense from time to time even in our urban forest surrounded by the urban landscape that is part of the outer reaches of this capital city we live in. The goal some people strive to attain is simply to do something because it's seen as the thing to do, not because there's a personal, deep-seated affinity for the natural world that begs to be exercised in exposure to a raw forest environment. That the impression left, seeing people trudge along the trails, disinterested in the landscape, seeing little beyond their determination to get it done and be done with it.

 

 

Speaking of getting things done, our garden has been busy gearing itself up to full spring response to the season and the urging of the perennials of all types to have their day in the sun. And don't we have sun!

We've also got heat and a level of humidity without even a puff of a breeze. The still air and the blazing sun have given us an over-heated atmosphere beloved of vegetation. Leaving us amazed at the rapidity of growth and the growing appearance of maturity in so many of the garden perennials.

 

 

Bee's balm is blooming now, the Siberian irises are beginning to bloom, along with the bearded irises, ajuga is blooming, the roses are putting out their buds, violets are in bloom, as well as the columbine in the rock garden. We're even seeing some of our neighbours out puttering about in their own gardens, walking their dogs, everyone seemingly relaxed and enjoying the last few days of May before the arrival of June.  Now that the garden beds and borders have been planted with annuals for oncoming summer, this kind of weather can easily exhaust the foliage and flowers, drying them out, so we've got to be aware when they need to be watered, which becomes a big job in itself.

 

We were out earlier than usual in the ravine for our daily hike-through with Jackie and Jillie. Wildflowers are moving along there, too, along with the season. False Solomon's seal is blooming now. There are bees coursing through the forest meadow alongside the creek, and birds have been celebrating, their spring melodies reverberating through the still air. It was also easy to identify the early presence of poison ivy on the forest floor. We came across only one other person, one of our long-time neighbours who lives a the bottom of our street, a street whose residents actually rarely enter the ravine.

 

After our ravine hike it was time to leave the puppies at home ALONE! weeping and howling, begging to be taken along. The trouble is, dogs, however small they are, are not welcome in supermarkets whose purpose is to sell food. We found the shelves better stocked this week than last and the store busy but not overwhelmingly so. We've stopped ogling the prices, and just stolidly select what we need, what we want, and ignore the prices, other than to wonder when the creep will stop. Long familiarity with packaged products enables us to immediately recognize smaller containers and consequently fewer contents; a double-consumer-blow.

Once home again, we are given an ecstatic reception, and an apology from Jackie and Jillie who had dialled 911 for rescue from neglect. A  happy reconciliation was effected and they enjoyed their rewards of cauliflower treats while we unpacked the groceries and order was gradually restored. That done, I made up a batch of bread dough for a pizza for tonight's dinner. And then we relaxed.